Favorite Ideas I Stole...er...Borrowed from the Christmas Tour of Homes!

I just returned from the Christmas Tour Of Homes In Madison, Georgia, and my head is spinning from a whirlwind tour of Victorian cottages and Greek revival antebellum mansions! This is one of my favorite things to do…peek into other people’s homes…with their permission, of course! I will show you more of the homes themselves later. I have learned to take at least one good decorating idea away with me each year. And this year I found several! These are not necessarily new ideas, but I did find a little different twist or a reminder of something I had forgotten! I hope you will enjoy them as much as I did!



The first is using fresh greenery in your Christmas decorations. One of the homes we toured had only fresh greenery in the house and what a difference it made! Now this may not be news to you, but in my home with my staff who will eat anything, it was so pleasant to see and smell the real thing! I especially loved this gorgeous centerpiece that also used artichokes, key limes and cranberries threaded on a wire as picks! Isn’t the cranberry idea ingenious? I will definitely try this!



Along the same line, they used paperwhites or narcissus as a part of their decorations. The smell brought back memories of my grandmother’s home in South Georgia…coming through the door for a Christmas visit and being greeted by the their fragrance from her hall table. I found an article on how to force them to bloom (click here) and discovered that it’s not too late to have blooms for Christmas since it only takes about three weeks! And yes, that’s their fabulous pool you’re seeing through the window!



Another of the homes used dried flowers, fruit and nuts in many of their decorations…beautiful! The garland made of pecans strung together in an interesting pattern was fascinating! And I loved the idea of the dried hydrangeas in the Christmas tree! I don’t believe that the little apples are real in the bottom photo, but those are real chestnuts…so Christmasy! However, we tried to figure out how to string nuts together and decided that you might have to drill holes in them. What do you think? Has anybody ever attempted this one?



I was also excited to see several dough bowls decorated for Christmas, since I have been planning to use the one that was my grandmother’s as a part of my decorations. Pinecones, nuts and berries along with a few wooden stars seem to be key ingredients.



Of course, candy and cookies fit right in to Christmas decor…especially in the kitchen! The little gum drop tree would be fun to make with children. I may have to try that one with my grandson! But my favorite is the gingerbread family going for a sleigh ride! Hmmm…I wonder if that sleigh I saw in Hobby Lobby half price is still there?



Using children’s toys as Christmas decorations is very traditional, such as little trains around the base of the tree. But I loved the idea of putting a bow on an antique child’s rocker and incorporating it as well! That Tinker Toy Christmas tree is my favorite of the bunch…so clever! I found directions here. And the felt Nativity figures glued on blocks of wood give a child a way to act out the Christmas story without any fear of breakage! I found that exact pattern which can be ordered for $10 by clicking here. My grandson always loved his Playmobil Nativity set and we kept it out as part of the decorations.



And finally, this one isn’t related to Christmas, but I loved it anyway! The owner of this home used antique letters and notes as art. She even had a tiny doll hand lying on an antique note written on a scrap of paper as a little vignette on her secretary. A little creepy or very interesting? It certainly caught your attention, I’ll bet! Now I’m thinking about letters written to me by my French friends and trying to figure out how to tea stain them and make them look old without ruining them. Hmmm…




So which ones have I tried? I did the easiest one first…cranberry floral picks! I simply threaded fresh cranberries on a bamboo skewer and added them to some greenery from the yard. I love this idea because I keep my holly cut back so much that it’s hard to find any berries. I also brought the last of my knockout roses into the house since we had a hard freeze last night. So far, the staff has not seemed interested in any of it! Keep your fingers crossed!
I am seeing a pattern in all of my favorites..are you? I didn’t realize it until I was re-reading my post. I seem to be drawn to simple, natural decorations this year. All of my big, shiny garlands are still in the attic. Is it the economy or am I getting older and simplifying my life? I have noticed that some of you are feeling the same way. What do you think?
Thanks so much for stopping by! Please head on over to Mary’s at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday to see one of her beautiful mosaics and to find a list of this week’s participants. You will be treated to some wonderful photos from some very talented people!
Next, be sure to visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday where you can get a peek at her gorgeous home and see what sorts of changes she is making, as well as find out who else is playing along! I’m betting there will be lots of Christmas decorations!

And then on Tuesday, please join Susan at thoughtsfromovertherainbow for Deck the Halls! We will be showing off our Christmas decorations every Tuesday between December 1st and January 5th, so come get in on the fun! Thanks again for stopping by! See you next time! A la prochaine!

A Tale of Two Treasures...or...A Cloche Party!

I am excited because it’s time for Marty’s Christmas Cloche Party at A Stroll thru Life and once again I am showing you some of my favorite things under glass! I still seem to be cloche impaired and cannot produce the lovely vignettes that the rest of you do. But, since it’s nearly Christmas, I would first like to show you my favorite ornament. It was a gift from my mother many years ago. She had a thing about San Francisco Music Box Company and loved to give their ornaments as gifts. So it’s not only cute, it plays several Christmas songs as well! Do you see what it is?

It’s a tiny Christmas tree being decorated by tiny mice! I love mice so much that my nickname in high school was Mouse! Oops! Did I just say that out loud? lol

Are these not just the cutest little guys? The tree has tiny gingerbread men and candy canes…which fits in to what seems to have become my stripe/toile theme this year! I love this little ornament! Ask any of my friends and they will tell you…I’m a sucker for anything that has little animals wearing clothes…especially mice!

Hmmm…Baby Kitty says it’s his favorite, too…mice under glass! lol

However, Mrs. Magpie’s kitties seem more interested in their new Christmas scarves than they do the mice! They were adopted by me several months ago when Sheila at The Quintessential Magpie so generously sent them to live at my house. They are the guardians of my Charles Faudree books!

Have you noticed the beautiful antique book beneath the cloche? That is my other treasure. I will show it to you to…er…distract you from my cloche impairment!

I bought this book for my mom in 1971 when I went to France for the first time as a college student. She asked for two things…a little bottle of perfume and a book from the bookstalls on the Left Bank in Paris. I was so pleased when I found this! It is L’Office de la Semaine Sainte…the services for Holy Week. Isn’t it wonderfully old and worn?

It is written in Latin and translated into old French. It is even filled with hand-written notes! It had a faded violet pressed between the pages when I bought it. Sadly, it has since disappeared.

But the best thing is the date of publication! Can you read it? It says With the Approval and Privilege of the King and is dated 1741…almost 270 years ago! America wasn’t even a country yet! The king who would have given his approval for its publication was Louis XV. And…I only paid about $12! Woo hoo!

Well, there you have it…two of my favorite treasures under glass! Whew! I think I managed to fake my way through another cloche party! I would also like to thank Linda at My Shabby Rose Cottage. You see, I won the cloche in her giveaway this Summer, so without her, my contribution would not have been possible! You should visit her wonderful blog, too! She's having another fantastic giveaway of a set of cute rooster plates to boot!
And my thanks to you for stopping by! I am getting an early start on my post because I am doing the Christmas Tour of Homes in Madison, Georgia today....I'm excited! More about that later!



Be sure to head on over to Marty’s to see how she is decorating her lovely home for Christmas and to see some wonderful cloches from some very talented ladies who can actually decorate a cloche! lol See you next time! A la prochaine!

Decorating with Thrifting Finds...or...Four Dollar Christmas Fun!

As I mentioned in my Christmas mantel post, I have decided to do something a little different this year…repurpose what I have or use thrifting finds to create a new Christmas look for my home! So my little wheels started turning when I came upon…

…these while Goodwill hunting with my friend Linda at Nina’s Nest…an old French wire basket for $1.91 and eight silverplate forks for $2.00! (I’m still working on what to do with the knives.) I have to thank Linda for finding the basket, which I absolutely love! It makes me think of my grandmother’s egg basket, with handles worn from years of use.

I imagine that the original owner would chuckle if she saw what I have planned for this old basket! All I need is candy canes and ribbon, which I already had in my Christmas stash, my trusty hot glue gun…

…and the assistance of our celebrity co-host, Baby Kitty! Are you ready?

First, I tied the ribbon around the basket and then hot-glued the candy canes to the ribbon from the inside…burning myself several times in the process! Ouch! Do not try this at home unless you are a professional! lol

Next, I added a bow, some greenery and pinecones …and voilà! What do you think?

I was so excited about the next project that I forgot to take photos until it was finished! I simply tied some of the ribbon around a pillar candle that I had on hand, forming a nice bow. I spaced the forks around the it and…taaa daa! It’s my new favorite Christmas decoration! I didn’t even polish the forks because I think they look more old-fashioned with a little tarnish. What do you think of this one?

And there you have it…new Christmas decorations made from thrift store finds and items that I had on hand for less than $4.00! I am having more fun and spending less money this Christmas than ever before! Isn’t that what it’s all about?

Thanks so much for stopping by! Please head on over to Mary’s at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday to see one of her beautiful mosaics and to find a list of this week’s participants. You will be treated to some wonderful photos from some very talented people!

Next, be sure to visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday where you can get a peek at her gorgeous home and see what sorts of changes she is making, as well as find out who else is playing along! I’m betting there will be lots more Christmas decorations today!

And then on Tuesday, please join Susan at thoughtsfromovertherainbow for Deck the Halls! We will be showing off our Christmas decorations every Tuesday between December 1st and January 5th, so come get in on the fun! Thanks again for stopping by! See you next time! A la prochaine!

Mosaic/Metamorphosis Monday...or...My Christmas Mantel

I have been in a mantel muddle! I wanted to do something really different this year, but I didn’t want to spend a lot of money. I wanted it to involve topiaries and/or lanterns, but I needed help. Sooo…I went in search of inspiration and I found some…at Better Homes and Gardens website at BHG.com. There is even an entire section dedicated to indoor Christmas ideas! Now, I usually go for this look…very traditional, lots of garlands. (However, I am only wishing I had these fireplaces!)

So for a change, I checked out some more simple looks. I love that gate on the mantel..but I don’t have one. The stockings are cute…but Santa won’t be stopping by this year. And neither purple ribbons nor green apples say Christmas for me.

Then I saw these photos and my heart sang! Inspiration at last! And then I realized…what I was loving was what I really already have year round…blue and white and plates!! lol Can you see that there are plates inside the wreaths in the lower right photo? Hmmm…they don’t explain how they did that one. Notice the three wreaths in the top photo…

…and look at my mantel! Are you getting ideas? I know I am! Sooo…I took a little bit from each one of the photos that I loved and created…

…this! What do you think? I’ll bet you were expecting my blue plates, weren’t you? lol My Johnson Brothers Old Britain Castles in pink just looked more Christmasy to me! The three little wreaths are actually candle rings. I found the topiaries at Goodwill several months ago and added the ribbon.

I thought I would miss having a big garland with a string of little white lights, but I don’t! I love having votives scattered on the mantel instead.

And I am finally getting to use the Kosta Boda votives that I found on the clearance aisle at TJ Maxx in the Spring for $3.00 each…whoo hoo! Doesn’t it look like an ice sculpture? I love how it glistens in the candlelight!

Do you recognize these? They are my Pottery Barn copy cat lanterns from my Fall porch! I put cranberries in one of them…a look that I really like. Now if Isabella just won’t fish them out and roll them around!

And here’s one last look…ahhh! A Christmas mantel that I really love…at last! And all I needed was…plates! Who knew?

Thanks so much for stopping by! Please head on over to Mary’s at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday to see one of her beautiful mosaics and to find a list of this week’s participants. You will be treated to some wonderful photos from some very talented people!

And then be sure to visit Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday where you can get a peek at her gorgeous home and see what sorts of changes she is making, as well as find out who else is playing along! I’m betting there will be lots more Christmas decorations today! Thanks again! See you next time! A la prochaine!

Mosaic/Metamorphosis Monday...or...A Day at the Beach

I know you think it’s strange…talking about a beach trip when everyone else is talking about turkeys and Christmas trees…but for the last eight years my childhood friend Nan and I have made our annual pilgrimage to Seagrove Beach, Florida in the Fall. The first trip was for healing our spirits. I had lost my mom to cancer and had just cleaned out her house and put it up for sale. One of Nan’s friends was in the final stages of cancer. So we decided that a trip to the beach might be what we needed…and it was.

We have returned to the same spot every year and it always seems to be just the antidote for gloomy weather and dragging spirits. This year was no exception.

There were lots of little examples of the beauty of nature…pure perfection…

…and a rather curious wriggling “pickle” creature, which, when rolled into the water…

…gracefully unfurled its dragon wings and morphed into this! Amazing!

Of course, I had to check out the local Goodwill store! lol I left empty-handed, but have not stopped thinking about that chair! But $49.99…hmmm…

The trip would not be complete without lunch at the Red Bar in Grayton Beach…my favorite, though very funky, restaurant!! That’s the smoked tuna dip salad with the best tomato basil dressing on planet Earth! Yum!

Of course, we did some sight-seeing...loving Fall in Florida!

And we saw some beautiful sunsets…ahhh!

So I am reserving this chair for next November. Won’t you join me?

Thanks so much for stopping by! Please head on over to Mary’s at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday to see one of her beautiful mosaics and to find out how you can play along.

And then join Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday to see what's going on in her beautiful home and to see all sorts of changes! You have to admit that my pickle creature was quite a metamorphosis! lol

See you next time! A la prochaine!

Mosaic/Metamorphosis Monday...or...Shifting Sands

I am back from my first trip to the beach since I started blogging and I must say that I found myself looking at it through very different eyes! Have you found that to be true…that blogging has given you a whole new perspective? I never stepped outside without my camera and I found even the simplest subjects to be fascinating. But perhaps the most interesting to me was…sand!

Of all of the elements of nature, it seems to be the most malleable, changing from one second to the next with the forces around it…morphing from one texture or pattern to another…

…reflecting, if only temporarily, the presence of living beings on its surface…

…or serving as a canvas for those with an active imagination and an artistic flair…

…and lifting the spirits of one very weary blogger in need of some relief from constant rain, a leaky roof and all that it entails. Sigh…

Thanks so much for dropping by! Please be sure to pay a visit to Mary at Little Red House for Mosaic Monday to see one of her beautiful mosaics and to find out how to play along.

And then head on over to Susan’s at Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday to see some wonderful changes of all sorts and to find a list of this week’s participants! I am hoping that Susan will consider sand castles a metamorphosis and allow me to play along!! See you next time! A la prochaine!